100th Anniverary of the Bricks

[cosworth151]

100 years ago today, 17 December 1909, the last brick was laid in the original paving of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It soon gained the name "The Brickyard." The bricks came from the Wabash Clay Company. Over the years, more and more of the track was covered with asphalt.

Today, there is a single yard of bricks at the Start-Finish line. The yard wide strip extends through the pits and across the Pagoda Plaza behind the inside grandstand.

Several important pieces of Indianapolis Motor Speedway history -- bricks from the racing surface and the contract between IMS and Wabash Clay Company for purchase the bricks in September 1909 -- will be on display today in the IMS Administration Building lobby. That's the large glass building beside the Main Gate at the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road. Fans are invited to view and take photos of the pieces on display.

I remember an incident during the original U.S.G.P. at Indy in 2000. It was the first time they held a race with a standing start. It was soon discovered that the F1 cars really didn't like the sudden change in paving with Launch Control. To solve the problem, the grid was moved back one line. This gave the front row cars enough space to get a grip on the asphalt.

[Jericoke]

Seems crazy these days to think of a track built from bricks!

It's tough to tell from the old clips, but I'm sure that the banking at Berlin was made from wood, wasn't it?

I was trying to find out if the 500 always used a rolling start.  I can't find out when racing moved from standing starts to rolling starts.  I'll guess that USAC/Indycar moved to rolling starts before Indy was paved with ashphalt though.

I do remember the concern with F1 cars having to accelerate over the 'yard of bricks', and seeing them leave the first two grid slots open.

[cosworth151]

Circle tracks have always been a rolling start. I've been told that it was taken from harness racing. Champ Car did some standing starts in its last few years, but only on road courses. I wish IRL would do the same.

Here's the start of the 1st 500, in 1911.

[Ian]

Good one Cos  and they moan about vision in the rain now.

[Dare]

Cos,didn't they try and shorten the qualifying once before
and found out it didn't work.

Hope your wrong but losing TG may be a nail
in IRL's coffin